It's `No' To Dent, `yes' To Free Agent

While vowing not to renegotiate Richard Dent's contract nor trade the disgruntled defensive end, Bears vice president Ted Phillips Wednesday did offer a glimmer of hope for accommodation.

"He told me to write him a letter with some terms on it," said Dent's agent, Tim Wright, who added he plans to include a list of teams to which Dent would prefer to be traded.

Through a spokesman, however, Phillips reiterated, "We will not renegotiate, and we are not going to trade him."

The Bears contend they wouldn't receive adequate compensation for Dent, who had 8.5 sacks, 82 tackles, a team-high six forced fumbles and one fumble recovery last season.

Meanwhile, the Bears did sign free agent cornerback Tony Blaylock Wednesday. Blaylock, 27, agreed to a three-year, $2.8 million deal. The 5-foot-10-inch, 185-pounder was drafted by the Browns in the fourth round of the 1988 draft. He played four seasons in Cleveland before joining the Chargers on waivers in the middle of the '91 season.

Dent, 32, has two seasons remaining on his contract, which at one time made him the team's highest-paid defensive player. He is to make $1.2 million this season.

"(Phillips) was a little upset (with Dent's demand to be traded if the Bears wouldn't renegotiate his contract)," said Wright, who insists Dent's complaint has to do with more than money.

"I told him that we want to sit down and work this out somehow. I told Ted (leaving) is not our first choice and Richard wants to stay. But, trust me, he is prepared to go."

Dent and Wright charged Tuesday the club didn't respect Dent and, in fact, went so far as to steer endorsement opportunities away from him.

Bears media relations director Bryan Harlan denied that Wednesday.

"Whoever wants a player (for an appearance) sends us a request in writing on (official) letterhead," said Harlan. "We ask them to put what the budget is, what time of day and how long a player has to be there. And we ask them to list three to five players in their order of priority so we have something to go by before we start approaching players.

"The players have different criteria. Some guys like to do motivational speaking, some like to do photo or autograph sessions. Some do all of them. So anytime anything comes in for Richard, then we would go to him. And that applies to all the other players.

"These guys all set their own fees, depending on their popularity. A guy like (recently retired) Mike Singletary, for instance, has gotten so many requests from our office in the last year that he has asked us to hold off. We don't go out and solicit like their agents would. We just do it as a service to the players and as a service to fans."

Harlan pointed out Dent's picture was on the cover of the team's Game Day magazine in 1991, which was used for every road game. He was the Bears' choice as the NFL Man of the Year nominee last year. He was one of six players on a Bears-sponsored poster. And a portrait of Dent is in the lobby at Halas Hall.

Wright reiterated Dent's desire to remain in Chicago, where he is having a new home built.

"A lot of people don't know the (charitable) contributions Richard has made to the community," said Wright. "He is involved on a daily basis trying to make a difference."

Wright said Dent is working to raise money to help build a facility for the homeless at the site of the old Englewood Hospital.